Military History

Since the first Stars and Stripes was printed in Bloomfield in 1861, the Department of Defense designated Bloomfield as the birthplace of the Stars and Stripes newspaper. The Missouri Stars and Stripes was printed only once during the Civil War. It wouldn’t see publication again until World War I, when it was an eight-page weekly. Publication stopped after WWI, then for the first nine months of World War II, it was restarted.

General Nathaniel Lyon was born on this day. He was killed at the Battle of Wilson's Creek, making him the first Union general to fall during the Civil War.

Missouri was requested to provide five regiments of infantry and one battery of light artillery for the Spanish-American War. 

Nathaniel Lyon took command of the St. Louis Arsenal on this day.

Birthday of Uriel Sebree, in Fayette, Missouri. He served as Commander-in-Chief of the Pacific Fleet, Arctic Explorer, Governor of American Samoa.

The USS Missouri was launched was launched on this day.

Missourian James H. Howard got separated from his fighter group and, all alone, attacked a German flight of thirty planes.

The Second Battle of Springfield was fought during the Civil War.

Today in Missouri (and world) history is Armistice Day. World War I ended today. Missouri Life proudly salutes the service of our veterans across the country.

In honor of the brave leader of the "Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo" Centerville (west of Rolla on Route 66) was re-named for the leader of the raid, St. Louis oil executive, Jimmy Doolittle. General Doolittle himself was there for the ceremony.